IIT(BHU), US varsity sign MoU for joint academic, research work

Varanasi: The Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi signed an MoU with the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) of the US on Monday for joint academic and research activities. The MoU was signed by Dr. Michael Rao, president of VCU and VCU Health System and Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain, director, IIT.
A delegation from VCU visited the IIT which included the key officials of VCU Dr Sriram Rao, vice-president for research and innovation, Dr. Jill Blondin, executive director, Global Education Office, VCU and Marci Fradkin, director of global partnerships, Global Education Office, VCU.
From IIT side, director Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain, dean (resource and alumni), Prof. Rajeev Srivastava, dean (academic affairs), Prof. S.B. Dwivedi, dean (research and development), Prof. Vikash Kumar Dubey, HoDs and faculty members of identified research areas were present during the MoU signing ceremony.
According to IIT spokesperson, the Institute and VCU join in the agreement on potential collaboration in the areas between the two institutions which include exchange of faculty members for research, consulting and lecturing, exchange of students (UG/PG and PhD) for study and research, exchange of educational materials and academic publications and joint research publications.
Joint research activities cover scholarly research in several forms and more particularly PhD research which will be considered in the forms of joint PhD research by joint-supervision, joint collaborative research by faculty of both institutions, joint PhD degree, joint and dual undergraduate/post graduate degree formulation and discussion. Under the faculty exchange program each institution may accept members of faculty members of the other institution to join in research and to participate in discussions and deliver lectures.
Student exchange will occur on a one-for-one basis, in each of the categories including undergraduate, graduate, and PhD. The duration of stay will be as per norm and regulation of each institution but has to be approved by host institution in advance not exceeding one year at a time.
Both IIT and VCU will assign exchange students accepted by them the status of a “non-degree student”. The student exchange programme shall be administered through the office of the dean (academic affairs) at BHU and the global education office at VCU.
Dr. Michael Rao, president of VCU and his colleagues from VCU expressed their happiness over the signing of the MoU with IIT.
IIT director Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain said that this MoU is unique in nature which will facilitate the students and faculty members of both the institutions to come closer and explore the academic and research activities.